Lake Erie and tributaries (Erie County): Walleye were caught, but it took more effort than throughout the summer bonanza. ’Eyes were suspended at 70-80 feet in 90-foot waters off Northeast, and some ’eyes were taken at 50 feet off Shades Beach using plugs and worm harnesses. Perch were caught at 70-75 feet. Off the tributaries, trollers picked up steelhead and lake trout at 30 feet. Steelhead were at the mouths of most tributaries, although a sandbar blocked the mouth of Twentymile. Two good-size brown trout were released after being caught in an Erie tributary. Under showers Monday, anglers witnessed a large run of steelhead on Crooked Creek, and two in the 20-inch range were released. Another large group of steelhead was seen running up Elk Creek a mile south of the mouth last week.
Tionesta Lake (Forest County): Good muskie fishing was reported by anglers trolling shoreline areas.
Pymatuning Reservoir (Crawford County): Unseasonably warm water temperatures kept the catches down. Few walleye and crappies were caught, and the common carp die-off was waning.
Lake Wilhelm (Mercer County): As temperatures dropped, big largemouths went for spinners.
Shenango Lake (Mercer County): Nice size hybrid striped bass were taken on shad imitations, and crappies were suspended at 5 feet in 10 feet of water. A few smallmouths were caught in the shallows.
Justus Lake (Venango County): Cooler temperatures gave bigger bass a feeding advantage at the weed beds.
French Creek (Venango County): Good smallmouth fishing was reported, and walleye were active despite low water.
Allegheny River (Venango County): Smallmouths moved to slower, deeper pools but occasionally followed minnows into the riffles.
Keystone Lake (Westmoreland County): Trophy-size males not needed for state hatchery reproductive activities were included in the Oct. 3 stocking.
Northmoreland Lake (Westmoreland County): Trophy-size males not needed for state hatchery reproductive activities were included in the Oct. 3 stocking.
Loyalhanna Creek (Westmoreland County): In addition to the lunker trout stocked Oct. 3 in the Keystone Select Stocked Trout Waters section, fish and boat staff reported seeing good-size trout still there from spring stockings.
Virgin Run Lake (Fayette County): The state stocked rainbows on Oct. 6.
Dunbar Creek (Fayette County): The state recently stocked the Catch and Release Fly Fishing Only area with brooks and browns.
Meadow Run (Fayette County): Rainbow trout were placed in the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only sections during a state stocking.
File your report and high-resolution digital photos (1MB minimum) at fishingreport@post-gazette.com. Include name, age (for children), town, species, size, body of water and optional details. The annual Post-Gazette steelhead fishing bus trip leaves the North Shore at 6 a.m. Nov. 18. Includes all-day parking, an educational steelhead clinic, fishing coaches and more. $50 registration at 412-263-1741.
First Published: October 13, 2017, 4:28 a.m.
